Incoming gov't has no plans for extra taxes on state-owned companies
Paulina Hennig-Kloska, an opposition MP expected to become the next climate minister, has said the emerging opposition government has no plans to impose additional taxes on State Treasury companies.
Hennig-Kloska's statement came in the wake of the opposition’s proposal to burden the state-owned energy conglomerate Orlen with the bulk of the cost of next year's electricity, gas and heating bill freeze. According to the draft, Orlen would have to pay PLN 14.6 billion (EUR 3.35 bln) towards the freeze, while the total cost of keeping bills at this year's level in 2024 would reach 16.5 billion (EUR 3.79 bln).
Orlen's stock price plummeted by 7.9 percent in reaction to the news on Wednesday.
Hennig-Kloska said that Orlen had so far benefited from a privileged position and had not accounted for excess profits, but added that other state-owned companies will not be additionally taxed.
"It was an extraordinary situation (a levy on Orlen - PAP), because Orlen benefitted from the fact that it had its former representatives in the ministry and developed a privileged position for itself, (...) there has been an imbalance here," she said. "Moreover, in my opinion, the European Commission could finally draw attention to this and consider it as a privileged position of the company contrary to regulations (for example the non-payment of windfall tax - PAP).
"Therefore, Orlen should have created a reserve a long time ago," Hennig-Kloska said.
She pointed out that the tax on excess profits for 2022 was paid by Poland's biggest coal mining company JSW, while Orlen did not pay any such tax.
"Orlen took advantage of a privileged position and did not settle accounts with citizens for the excess profits it obtained on gas in 2022," she added.
According to media reports, Hennig-Kloska is being considered for the Ministry of Climate and Environment in the new coalition government of Donald Tusk. (PAP)
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